Citizens Quote by Julien Offray de La Mettrie
“Who lives as a citizen, may write as a philosopher - but write as a philosopher, it is to teach materialism!”
About This Quote
Source Treat: Materialist philosophy, 1748
Philosophical writing should serve material understanding, not abstract idealism.
In simple terms: Write to teach practical materialism.
Key Takeaway
Focus on tangible, material explanations.
Themes
philosophy
materialism
education
writing
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
theoretical
didactic
When to use this quote
- academic curricula
- public discourse
- science communication
- policy analysis
Key Concepts
empiricism
skepticism
pragmatism
Questions to Reflect On
- How can materialism be balanced with imagination?
- What role does philosophy play in society?
A Different Perspective
Pure abstraction can still inspire valuable insight.
![“If we do want to do that [ colonise space to survive, ], then vacuous materialism is not going to be enough for us.” quote by Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8c5/quentin-s-crisp-4149_enough_if-we-do-want-to-do-that-colonise-space_40648.jpg)
![“[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion, why do you not believe in materialistic science, which has an unparalleled record of fulfilled prophecy? Consider, for example, eclipses.” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/875/carl-sagan-160_belief_when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-a_25095.jpg)
